ABUJA — In a strategic move to fortify Nigeria’s digital landscape, the Nigerian Women in Information Technology (NWIIT) has proposed a formal collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to enhance cybersecurity and combat digital fraud across the country.
The proposal was made during a courtesy visit by the group on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, to the EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, where they met with the Commission’s leadership.
Empowering Women, Securing the Cyberspace
Speaking during the visit, NWIIT President Dr. Oluwakemi Ayodele introduced the association as a specialized interest group within the Nigerian Computer Society. She highlighted NWIIT’s primary mission of advocating, empowering, and mentoring women and girls in the tech ecosystem.
Central to their current mission is the Women in Cyber Security Initiative, an umbrella framework designed for female professionals already operating in, or aspiring to enter, the cybersecurity sector.
“The Initiative helps organizations like the EFCC,” Dr. Ayodele explained. “We'll train and retrain them so that we'll be able to spread our tentacles and cover more grounds. We are looking out for Commissions like the EFCC that this Initiative aligns with; that can support us and that we can collaborate with, so that we'll be able to cover more ground, cover more people, cover more states, and cover more communities in the area of cybersecurity.”
EFCC Pledges Institutional Support
Responding on behalf of the anti-graft agency, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede—who was represented by the Secretary to the Commission, Mohammed Hammajoda—expressed immense delight at the initiative. He assured NWIIT of the EFCC's readiness to back the project.
Training and Capacity Building: The EFCC pledged to support NWIIT's cybersecurity training programs.
Institutional Framework: The Commission will channel its support through the EFCC Academy and its internal IT Department.
“The Commission is willing and ready to support you. We will do it appropriately through our Academy and IT Department,” Hammajoda stated.
A Shared Fight Against Cyber-Fraud
Echoing the importance of the partnership, the Chief of Staff to the EFCC Executive Chairman, Commander of the EFCC (CE) Michael Nzekwe, praised NWIIT’s proactive stance. He noted that securing the nation's cyberspace is crucial to tackling modern economic and financial crimes.
“One of our core values is stakeholders’ collaboration. It is very important because no one can fight corruption alone,” Nzekwe remarked.
He further emphasized the critical need for a nationwide awareness campaign. By expanding cybersecurity education to grassroots communities, Nzekwe noted, more Nigerians will be equipped with the knowledge and resilience required to protect themselves against cyber-related fraud.
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